Slaid Cleaves

I just checked out my Twitter analytics for the first time. Turns out my followers are interested in, above all other topics, dogs. So here you go. You're welcome.

@TracesofTexas I moved halfway across the country to Texas pretty much just to open shows for Joe and try to learn the trade.

The Texas Quote of the Day: “Joe burned it down every night. It didn’t matter if it was a corporate party or opening for the Clash. Joe brought one-hundred-ten percent—and just absolutely pulverized the crowd.” ---- iconic pedal steel player Lloyd Maines on the legendary Joe Ely, who put on some of the greatest live music concerts Texas has ever seen. Lloyd played in Joe's band for years and watched Joe pulverize the crowd firsthand, so he knows of what he speaks. Sadly, Joe died a few months ago. Did you ever see Joe live? I did, probably 50 times.

@johnvarney1 Thanks! Not likely. Staying close to home in semi-retirement.

@slaidc It's a good one !!!! You making it this way this year??

"I live in a land of hope and betrayal I get up each morning, try to tell the tale And so until my dying day whatever fate may bring A dark age looms, there's evil at hand Somehow I still believe in the goodness of man It's a beautiful thing" @slaidc #BeautifulThing #SmoothSlaid

@TracesofTexas I lived next to Oakwood for 12 years and got to know the names of some of my “neighbors:” Prosper Humbert, Ainsley Simcock, Asher Smoot, Rispah Redd, and Olivia Manlove, to name a few I remember.

The Arcane Texas Fact of the Day: If you go to the Oakwood cemetery in Austin, you'll find the weathered gravestone of Ben Thompson. As you can see from the photo below, Thompson was born in 1842 and died 42 years later, in 1884, on today's date: March 11. The stone is ordinary and unpretentious, belying the wild, chaotic life that Thompson led. Ben Thompson met his demise at the Vaudeville Theater in San Antonio on today's date 142 years ago. He was born in England but emigrated with his family to Austin in 1851. After serving in the Confederate 2nd Texas Cavalry Regiment in the Civil War, he joined Emperor Maximilian's forces in Mexico and fought until the fall of the empire in June 1867. Returning to Texas, he was a gambler in various Texas cities, earned a reputation as a fast gun and spent some time in prison for being involved in many shootouts, 1868 to 1878. Known as a fast gun, he was hired by lawman Bat Masterson as an agent for the Kansas Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway in 1879. In 1880, he returned to Austin and opened a gambling hall above the Iron Front saloon, shown in the photo posted earlier. In the way that things worked back then, Thompson was also known as an honest man and, with his prowess with a revolver, the citizens of Austin elected him City Marshal. In July 1882, Marshal Thompson quarreled over a card game in a saloon in San Antonio, where he shot and killed a prominent sportsman Jack Harris. After a trial and his acquittal, he resigned as marshal and resumed his life as a professional gambler. While on business in San Antonio, on March 11, 1884, Thompson ran into rancher, King Fisher. The two men, who had known one another for several years, decided to attend shows at the Turner Hall Opera House, and later at the Vaudeville Variety Theater. A local lawman, Jacob Coy, sat with them. Thompson wanted to see Joe Foster, a theater owner who had been a friend of Harris's. Thompson had already spoken to Billy Simms, another theater owner, and Foster's new partner. Fisher and Thompson were directed upstairs to meet with Foster. Coy and Simms also joined them in the theater box. Foster refused to speak with Thompson. Fisher allegedly noticed that something was not right, when suddenly Simms and Coy stepped aside. As they did, a hail of bullets from an adjoining box hit Thompson and Fisher. Thompson fell, and either Coy or Foster ran up to him and shot him in the head with a pistol. Thompson died almost immediately. Fisher was shot thirteen times, but fired one round in retaliation, possibly wounding Coy, who was crippled for life. While trying to draw his pistol, Foster had shot himself in the leg, which was later amputated. He died soon after the surgery.

@johnvarney1 “Reluctantly optimistic” - S King

"I live in a land of hope and betrayal I get up each morning, try to tell the tale And so until my dying day whatever fate may bring A dark age looms, there's evil at hand Somehow I still believe in the goodness of man It's a beautiful thing" @slaidc #BeautifulThing #SmoothSlaid

@TerribleMaps Whew.

Can you legally be nude in your own backyard?

@TracesofTexas 2/3 of my song “Temporary” is lifted directly from epitaphs. Wish I’d known about this one.

Here's an excellent Texas history mystery. Traces of Texas reader David Trail was in the old Springfield cemetery at Fort Parker (near Mexia) when he spied this elaborate tombstone. Check out the inscription: Dr. N. Brookins Born in Eastern New York. Jan. 24, 1819 DIED In Texas by Mexican violence SLAIN Oct. 1854 FOR GOLD He suffered much through life and murmered not. Tossed no more on life's rough billow All the scenes of life have fled Found at last a quiet pillow for the wearied pilgrim's head SLEEP IN PEACE Seraph Angels guard thy bed First off, this is an excellent grave marker in so many ways. It's in fabulous shape relative to most other markers its age. Second, what an excellent and evocative epitaph! Third --- and here's the mystery ---- who was Dr. Newman Brookins and what event or events caused his death? Slain for gold by "Mexican violence?" There's got to be a story, or a @slaidc song, there. But I searched high and low and could not find hide nor hair of a clue. Thank you, David. Hopefully, one of the readers knows something.

@TracesofTexas One of a kind.

@slaidc He was something else, wasn't he?

Why did they call Don Walser "The Pavarotti of the Plains?" This 100% pure Texas honky tonk song shows why: youtu.be/Zy_-NN2zND0?si…

@johnvarney1 @CharleyCrockett @EmmylouSongbird @ArloMckinley @Neilyoung @RyanBingham @delmccouryband Proud to be in that list.

@CharleyCrockett @slaidc @EmmylouSongbird @ArloMckinley @Neilyoung @RyanBingham @delmccouryband

It "seems" lik a lot . . .

@Harmony_Holiday That’s a soldering gun in his right hand.

@ellispaulsongs You’ve earned it!

I have been declared an official Okie by the city of Okemah by the way. So there. Come see an pretend Okie play some songs! See you at the shows! Thu Nov 13 Mucky Duck, Houston Fri Nov 14 New Folks Old Folks Fischer, TX Sat Nov 15 The Blue Door, Oklahoma City

@ThunderRdFan99 @softtail65 I’ll take the last of the V8s.

@softtail65 Knight Rider- KITT

Since there isn't a truck, I'll go with Mad Max. What about you? 🤔

The Clash’s Paul Simonon, running into some young street musicians, will make your day. 💕🎸 @TheClash @FarOutMag

Been thinking about upgrading from the old minivan. This looks nice.

@johnvarney1 29 years ago. Crazy.

Not sure how I missed this one, but it showed up in my iTunes feed this morning - LOVE IT! @slaidc is one of my all-time favorites, and has a great catalog of work. I thought I had everything as a "Super Fan" (12 Albums, 99 Songs). #NoAngelsKnow #HitTheRoad #SmoothSlaid

@TracesofTexas I once “fixed” a loose alternator belt on my Duster with a well placed rock.

Traces of Texas reader JS Chenowith kindly sent in this funny shot. Says JS: "Please see the circa 2013 field expedient repair of the Schebler carburetor on my father's 1907 Buick. Shiner Bock & JB Weld to the rescue! I am unaware of a more Texas-style jerry-rigged repair." JS says he was trying to add some barbed wire to the mix but couldn't figure out how. 😃 Thank you, JS! I love it and I think the folks @ShinerBeer will like it, too!

@ThunderRdFan99 @softtail65 I need to put that in my bio…

@softtail65 One of my all-time favorites... One Good Year - Slaid Cleaves youtu.be/olsq6zaL0Zs?si… the song that made me a Slaid fan.@SlaidC is the only artist I've skipped a Springsteen concert to go see.

Name another song that mentions the word "One." 🎶 Written by Graham Russell and released as the lead single from the 6th Air Supply studio album of the same name, the song "The One That You Love" hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 on July 25, 1981. Air Supply's only #1 Billboard hit, the song also spent 5 weeks at #2 on the Adult Contemporary chart.

@Harmony_Holiday Thank you for not sending us to Spotify.

As a kid, I thought my dad had written this song cause it's one of his b-sides from his New Orleans years. He didn't write it, he was just devoutly country and needed to yodel on at least one track